Multi-source data retrieval system

Abstract

A multi-source data retrieval system is shown. The system includes a list retriever for retrieving a list of data sources and a graphical user interface for presenting the list of data sources to a user. A fetch manager retrieves information about the data sources and downloads information from the data sources. A data combiner combines the downloaded information into composite data for use by another application.

1 . A multi-source data retrieval system comprising: 
 a list retriever for retrieving a list of data sources;    a graphical user interface for presenting the list of data sources to a user;    a fetch manager for retrieving meta-information about the data sources and downloading information from the data sources; and    a data combiner for combining the downloaded information into composite data for use by another application.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fetch manager comprises a multi-threaded download manager for downloading the information from each of the data sources in a separate thread.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fetch manager comprises a multi-threaded download manager for downloading the meta-information about each of the data sources in a separate thread.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises of a display area for presenting at least a portion of the data available for download from one of the data sources.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises a display area for allowing the user to designate how to combine data downloaded from the data sources.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises a control for allowing the user to enter a new data source.  
   
   
       7 . A method of retrieving and combining data from multiple data sources, the method comprising: 
 allowing a user to select the multiple data sources from a plurality of data sources;    retrieving data from each of the multiple data sources in a multi-threaded manner; and    combining the retrieved data into a composite data source.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of retrieving data further comprises for each of the multiple data sources, spawning a thread for retrieving information if a local cache does not exist.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising waiting for all data to be retrieved before combining the retrieved data into a composite data source.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising retrieving a list of the plurality of data sources from another application.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising downloading meta-information about the plurality of data sources in a multi-threaded manner.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of downloading meta-information further comprises for each of the plurality of data sources, spawning a thread for downloading information if a local cache does not exist.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising populating a graphical user interface with a list of the plurality of data sources and the downloaded meta-information for each of the plurality of data sources.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising presenting a graphical user interface to the user, the graphical user interface including a list of the plurality of data sources and meta-information about each of the plurality of data sources.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein presenting the graphical user interface to the user further comprises presenting an option to the user to combine only portions of the data available from the plurality of data sources.  
   
   
       16 . A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, the one or more computer programs implementing a method for retrieving and combining data from multiple data sources, the one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for: 
 allowing a user to select the multiple data sources from a plurality of data sources;    retrieving data from each of the multiple data sources in a multi-threaded manner; and    combining the retrieved data into a composite data source.    
   
   
       17 . The computer readable storage medium according to  claim 16 , said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for spawning a thread for each of the multiple data sources.  
   
   
       18 . The computer readable storage medium according to  claim 16 , said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for retrieving a list of the plurality of data sources from another application.  
   
   
       19 . The computer readable storage medium according to  claim 18 , said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for downloading meta-information about the plurality of data sources in a multi-threaded manner and populating a graphical user interface with a list of the plurality of data sources and the downloaded meta-information for each of the plurality of data sources.  
   
   
       20 . The computer readable storage medium according to  claim 16 , said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for presenting a graphical user interface to the user, the user interface including a list of the plurality of data sources and meta-information about each of the plurality of data sources and presenting an option to the user to combine only portions of the data available from the plurality of data sources.